


Swordplay

by RedTeamShark



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Author Chose Not To Tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-22
Updated: 2014-03-22
Packaged: 2019-09-12 04:06:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16865833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedTeamShark/pseuds/RedTeamShark
Summary: Perhaps they could learn a thing or two from each other.





	Swordplay

**Author's Note:**

> Proper warnings, tags, etc, may come in the future. For the time being I'm frantically transferring my content to a stable platform amidst growing concerns about tumblr's inevitable implosion.
> 
> Apologies for flooding the fandom page.

“You lack finesse.”

“Says the man who fights dirty.”

“I fight effectively. A dead man can’t continue to attack.”

“Not every encounter has to end in bloodshed, you know.”

A chuckle from the taller man. “Right, I forgot, you’re all about peace. How many stab wounds did you inflict after he was dead, Rose King?”

Gritted teeth. “Shut up.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that you lack finesse with your movements.” Finality in his tone, no arguing with it.

Ray’s shoulders slumped. “What do you even know about finesse with a sword? You use that hidden blade.”

“Doesn’t mean I didn’t learn how to properly handle a sword. Here.” Ryan stepped around to behind him, one arm lifting. Ray darted away, moving across the empty room like a dancer, eyes darting to the sleeves of the other man’s shirt. “Oh, fine.” The man known as the mad king pushed his sleeves up, making a display of disarming himself. “So distrustful. I thought you knew me better than that.”

“I know that the last time I had you by as a guest, you tried to poison me.”

“Those mushrooms were perfectly healthy.”

“You found them on the side of the road! The chicken we fed them to fell over dead!”

“Maybe the chicken was just a picky eater. Now come here.” Ryan pointed to the space in front of him, pulling the younger man close when he approached, chest pressed firmly to his back. He slipped his arms around him, hands settling over his. “The first thing you need to do is to always be aware of your breathing. It should be as much part of your fight as the movement of your sword.” He inhaled deeply in demonstration, taking in the scent of the younger man as he did—floral, as always, the smell of roses lingering around him even with his crown off. “If you master it, control it, your opponent won’t be able to tell when you’re tired just by listening to you pant like a dog on a hot day.”

“Control my breathing. Okay.” Ray swallowed, chest rising and falling in time with Ryan’s, every nerve acutely aware of the other man’s presence. He didn’t mind being publically polite to the other man, that was just politics… but letting him be so close in private, with no witnesses, was more than slightly nerve-wracking.

“Every movement you make should have purpose. Don’t just dodge in a random direction, move in a way that will throw your attacker off balance, then strike.” The hands over his forced him to move, miming swinging a sword. “Not every strike has to be a death blow, sometimes you just can’t. Aim to incapacitate first, so that your foe is easier to kill.”

“Or so that he’ll surrender.”

“If you really want to leave someone alive after they come at you with a weapon, I suppose.” Distaste in Ryan’s voice, his arms dropping from around the younger man. “You want to try again?”

Ray withdrew his sword slowly, closing his eyes for a moment. “Control my breathing. Move with purpose. Incapacitate if I can’t kill.” He murmured, brown eyes opening, attention focused on the king of the valley. Soon they were nothing but a flurry of attacks, parries, and dodges, circling each other slowly in the small room. They engaged and disengaged rapidly, movements synchronized almost into a dance.

Ryan’s fist swung in from the left and Ray ducked to the right, thoughts only on getting away from the incoming blow. He gasped in an off-beat breath as the other man seemed to disappear from in front of him, his exhale trapped as an arm locked around his throat, a fist pressed to his chin.

“You still need practice.” Ryan whispered, breath warm against his ear. “But you are doing better.” The fist against his chin relaxed, fingertips stroking his jaw.

“Release me.” Ray managed to prevent his voice from shaking as he spoke, eyes slipping closed as the arm constricting his throat dropped away. He sighed, moving his sword into its sheath and looking over his shoulder. “You’re bleeding.”

“Thank you, your royal obviousness. I hadn’t noticed.”

“No need to be sarcastic. Come on, I’ll patch you up in the study.” A smile, small but genuine, touched his lips as the older king scooped up his hidden blade, once more attaching it to his wrist. He led the way from the small practice room, pausing outside to pull his cape over his shoulders, Ryan following him upstairs to the study. The Rose King rifled through his drawers while the king of the valley wandered around the room, fingertips trailing over the spines of books.

“You ever actually read any of these, or are they just for show?” He questioned as the younger man approached, pulling a thick tome from the shelf and brushing off some of the dust to read the cover. His eyes remained on the book as the small wound on his arm was cleaned and bandaged.

“Most of them are references. Crop cycles, hunting standards, population information. Not exactly interesting bedtime reads, but important nonetheless.” Ray shrugged, tying off the bandage and stepping back. “The books worth reading I keep in my private quarters.”

“I see…” Ryan replaced the book, stepping over to the wide desk and taking a seat in front of it, eyes on Ray as the younger man moved to sit across from him. “So I’ve helped you with your swordsmanship… but I’m curious.”

“Oh, boy, here we go.” An eyeroll from the man behind the desk, but a small smile still tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Easy information. Think of it as an exchange. Why ask me to help? Why not one of the others? Or one of your own people?”

Ray’s smile drooped into a thoughtful frown, his eyes on the surface of his desk. “I’ve seen you fight. I’ve seen your movements. I understand how to use my blade from a technical level, how to block and strike and all of that… But it’s not always good enough. I don’t want to take the time to observe my opponent, find his pattern, and then strike. I don’t want to keep hesitating.” He looked up, fingers clenching against the desk. “I can’t hesitate to make decisions anymore, that’s not what my life is.”

“So you came to me?”

A light chuckle from the dark-haired man, accompanied by a shrug. “When’s the last time you hesitated to kill a man, Ryan?”

“Fair play.”

Running a hand through his hair with a sigh, Ray leaned back in his chair. “You’ll want a room for the night, I’m sure. I’ll have something set up for you.”

Blue eyes followed him as he stood from the desk, Ryan getting to his feet a moment later. He reached out as Ray stepped past him, arm once more wrapping around his neck, fist at his chin again. Ray tensed in his grasp, hand dropping to his sword. “If you try to draw it, I’ll release the blade and send you to your grave in a spill of blood.” He warned softly, the arm around the younger man’s throat tightening until his hand dropped. “You’re such a good little king…”

“What do you want from me? Why shouldn’t I shout for the guards right now?”

“Do that and you’re a dead man. Why did you choose me to teach you? Why not one of the others or one of your own people?”

“I told you, I wa—“ The arm around his throat tightened again.

“Don’t fucking lie to me, flower boy. I can feel it.”

A barely-audible whimper from Ray, his eyes slipping closed. “The… The king of the underworld asked me to… to observe you. Learn your combat style, your strengths and weaknesses.” The arm around his throat continued to tighten, before loosening abruptly. Ray stumbled forward as he was pushed away, scrambling for his sword and gasping for breath.

“Why would Geoff want to know that, I wonder…” Ryan hummed thoughtfully, smiling broadly. “I’m sure he didn’t tell you why he was curious. I’m sure you didn’t even ask.” He brushed his hands on his kilted thighs, shaking his head. “A room for the night, you said?”

Distrustful brown eyes followed him as Ryan moved to the door, Ray straightening up slowly. “A room for the night.” He agreed, moving beside the older man out of the study and through the halls of the castle. “And then I think it’d be best if you return to your people. I’m sure they need their king.”

“I’m sure they do.” Ryan’s arm lifted and Ray slipped away from the movement, watching him closely. “Lesson one, Rose King… Don’t turn your back on anyone. Even if you think you can trust them. I’ll see myself to my chambers, I’m sure you have things to attend to.”

Ray watched him leave, slowly reaching up to rub his throat. He’d have to let Geoff know what he learned… and what he’d told Ryan.


End file.
